Flash floods wreak havoc in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu, over 20 vehicles damaged | Shimla News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Flash floods triggered by heavy rainfall damaged around 20 to 25 vehicles in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu district on Saturday, officials confirmed.Manmohan Singh, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Nirmand, said the flooding occurred in the usually dry Sharshaya Nallah following intense rains, but no casualties were reported.In a separate incident, debris from nearby hills blocked a key stretch of the Hindustan-Tibet Road (National Highway-5) at Jhakri, between Rampur and Kinnaur.Videos shared on social media captured vehicles being swept away by floodwaters and debris, while the water level in the Satluj River was also seen rising.Although some locals suspected a cloudburst, officials attributed the flooding to persistent heavy rainfall.The local meteorological department has issued a yellow warning for thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds of 40–50 kmph across all 12 districts for May 27 and 28. Specific alerts for Sirmaur, Solan, Shimla, Mandi, Kullu, Kangra, and Chamba were issued for May 25 and 26.A six-day wet spell has been forecast, although much of the region remained dry on Saturday. Light rainfall is expected in higher hills and isolated areas of the mid-hills and plains on May 25, with more intense showers likely later in the week.Rainfall measurements included 10 mm in Rohru, 2.6 mm in Jubbarhatti, 2.4 mm in Jubbal, and 2 mm in Chamba. Gusty winds ranging from 37 to 56 kmph were recorded in several locations, including Reckong Peo, Tabo, Kotkhai, Bahaura, Seobag, and Narkanda.Temperatures remained stable, with Una registering the highest at 39.2°C and Keylong the lowest at 7.3°C.